Missing Guinevere
by dreamland4
Summary: Guinevere consumes his every thought.


_**Comments: Thanks to Guardian Izz for the suggestion a while ago and thank you all for reviewing, I hope you like it.**_

He missed her, he missed everything about her....the way the sunlight would light her face as if highlighting her beauty even more to him, or the way she walked not like a servant, but tall and honourable like a queen. He missed saying her name how it tickled his lips as it rolled off his tongue and how her face lit up when he said it "Guinevere"

"What did you say?" Merlin teased.

"Nothing...haven't you got chores to do!" he bit back at him.

Merlin smiled as he left his room. Arthur had been unbearable recently...he knew it was down to not seeing Gwen. Since the dragon attack they had both been busy and kept missing each other, Gwen was busy with Gauis tending to the wounded and Arthur was busy re-building Camelot and training new knights. The first week or so he had tried to see her, even faking injury but it seemed the fates were against them because he would miss her every time. Merlin noticed how the prince had now taken to staring in the distance, thinking about her.

He tried to help of course, because he knew Gwen had become the air that he breathed, the reason to make the long journey to become king. So he would tell the Prince before he retired about what Gwen had been up to, it started as an awkward conversation and then became a habit for the Prince. He would ask him when he saw her, where it was, how she seemed and eventually what she was wearing. He would listen to his words as if every detail of what he was saying was becoming a perfect image in his mind, as if he had seen her himself. On days where he hadn't seen her at all Gauis would step in telling him how she was doing in her training and the injured she was healing, so he could relay it to Arthur at night.

That night was no different as the Prince lay waiting for the information he had longed for all day.

"Well?" his patience wearing thin as Merlin cleaned up his clothes.

"I saw her once today, she was picking flowers at the eastern entrance" he continued picking up clothes.

"And!" he asked impatiently.

The truth is he was in a rush so had not seen her at all today or had chance to talk to Gauis, so he had to make it up, can't be that hard.

"She picked purple and white flowers, her favourite colour" he tried to avoid the princes gaze.

"There are no purple flowers on the eastern entrance!" he questioned...if you wanted purple flowers it was at least a day's ride away by the river of Seren, he knew that because he had thought of her when he rode past.

'_Busted' _he thought but did not show it "They were wild flowers only a few of them in amongst the yellow ones...anyway she had her purple dress on and those little white flowers in her hair" Arthur seemed to relax now and calm down.

"Was it the purple dress with the dark purple flowers on the middle or the one with gold on it" he had long gone past the awkwardness of asking his man servant such detailed questions. He knew every detail of most of her dresses...the details helped him sleep at night, helped to make his dreams more real.

Merlin thought to prove he was listening "No the other one with the white embroidery down the front"

Arthur smiled, he loved those dresses and that one was a particular favourite.

They carried on talking into the night, Merlin making up every detail and vowing to actually see her the next day.

The next day Arthur finally saw her and his heart skipped a few beats. He did not see all of her just a curl of hair as she left the castle walls...so he followed her as quickly as he could. The need to see her had gone past just a mere thought it had become an obsession...he went out of the entrance and could not see her "Damn it" he looked to the ground and saw a small flower from her hair...he picked it up and placed it in his pocket following that direction.

In the distance he saw a flash of her dark hair and continued following her. She was heading to the lake, he knew a quicker way to the lakes and he could pretend he was there first, just walking of course. Then they could talk or even kiss...his mind already playing out the scene.

He finally came up to the side of the lake and then his heart stopped beating. She was there first and undressing to bath. He hid behind the tree, what was she doing bathing at this hour...all the men knew they were not allowed by the lake in the morning but not late afternoon. He was sure his heart would give him away, he should leave but he could not his feet were stuck firmly to the ground and his body would not allow him to go.

His eyes were next to betray him, he moved to look around the tree and then he saw her. He back facing him, which he was grateful for, he would have probably just died on the spot if she were facing him.

She was perfect...her silky skin, her prefect shoulders and her back...the water keeping her lower body hidden.

He watched as she raised her hand to wash her chest he leaned back against the tree out of sight and groaned. She would defiantly be the death of him.

Gwen felt her body change, her early warning system that said he was near... her skin felt like it was on fire and her heart starting beating irregularly. She blushed, was he watching her bathe? She had missed him so much and even found herself walking past his chamber hoping he would come out and say her name. The way he said her name made her soul sing and her body tingle.

She thought about whether she minded him being there, the truth was she didn't...their relationship was such a delicate thing, that a few stolen glances were all they were entitled to. She wondered if her body pleased him, or whether he had seen a lot better. Her heart sunk at the thought and she ducked down, so her shoulders were covered by water.

She thought about it hidden under the water, he had talked about marriage to her, about becoming his queen. If her body did not please him now it best she knew about it. She stood back up and just tried concentrating at the task in hard washing. She was supposed to be there with the morning bathers but a sick child had made her very late.

Arthur turned again and watched her washing her arms...he noticed how perfectly formed they were..the years of hard work had left her arms strong but still feminine, she then picked up the cloth she had in her hand and started to clean her chest....his heart felt like it was about to jump out of his chest and join her, in fact his whole body wanted to jump into the water and claim her as his own...wedding night and honour be damned!

"What are you doing?" he turned quickly to see Merlin approaching him and then Merlins mouth drop as he saw Guinevere. Arthur grabbed him and covered his mouth and pulled him behind the tree.

Guinevere heard a noise and turned around but no one was there.

Merlin could not believe it, I mean he knew she was beautiful but wow! He had never seen so much perfect flesh.

"If you make a sound...or tell anyone I will kill you!" he whispered into his ear. Merlin nodded and the prince let go of his mouth.

Merlin automatically looked around the tree and nearly saw her again if it was not for the Prince covering his eyes and dragging him back and away from the lake.

When they were finally a safe distance away he let go of him and removed his hand from his eyes.

"What do you think you _were _doing" Arthur shouted at Merlin his hands on his hips.

"I could ask you the same question...a peeping tom, who would have thought it" he teased.

Arthur picked him up by his collar raising him from the ground "If you EVER tell anyone I WILL KILL YOU and if YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW I WILL KILL YOU" he could not believe his man servant had looked at her...that sight was meant only for him, her future husband.

Merlin smiled at the thought of naked Gwen and Arthur lifted him higher "STOP IT!" he could see where his mind was going.

"OK OK it's just very hard" Arthurs eyes went wide and placed his hand round his neck ready to kill him.

"NOT HARD! I mean difficult.....alright I have...for...gott....en" the Prince finally let go of his throat.

"GOOD" he dropped him on the floor and Merlin rubbed his throat.

"Maybe you should get her a bath...to stop other men seeing her!" he suggested as he walked back, Arthur clipped him on the back of the head.

He thought about other men watching her and vowed to kill any man going near the bathing area...or he could get her a bath, that way she would never been seen by anyone ever...apart from him of course.

"I want a bath in her house...by tonight"

"How am I going to carry a bath" he had visions of dragging a bath through town.

"I DONT CARE HOW YOU DO IT...JUST DON'T GET SEEN!" he shouted and stormed off into the castle he needed a cold bath himself.

He felt bad for looking at her, but justified it as protecting the one person he cared about, after all if any foe came after her he would leap out and save the day. Of course she would then reward him, his mind started playing the whole scene out. He would save her life and she would kiss him 'her hero' he thought and smiled. His mind lately often lived in a fantasy world all thoughts would end up the same Guinevere kissing him.

When he sat in the council meeting he could not concentrate he would just think of seeing her bathing in the lake her perfect body, the way the sun lit up her skin.

"Arthur" he snapped out of his day dream to see Uther and the rest of the council members looking confused.

He sat up and cleared his throat "My Lord"

"Prey tell me your thoughts son, because they do not seem on the task at hand"

His mind went blank 'think of something, um Guinevere lips, arms...um ...damn it' "I was thinking about training"

The King laughed "Normally training does not make you sit there smiling!" and the rest of the table laughed.

He need to stop this, making his father suspicious was very dangerous "Actually it does when thinking about Sir Peter falling in a pile of Horse Manure during a sparing session"

They all laughed and continued on with the meeting, he sighed in relief that was very close.

As Guinevere walked down the corridor on the way home, she thought about this morning and her heart sunk...she had felt him disappear by her skin return to normal and her heart beating slowly. He had not liked her form, of course he would not...he was the Prince of Camelot and had seen many a beautiful lady and maid in his chambers. She felt like crying.

Arthur waited in the alcove, she would be here any second...he was fed up with her kisses only in his fantasies he wanted to feel her lips on his.

He reached out and grabbed her hand his heart beating faster at the anticipation of her perfect lips finding his... "YUCK" he pulled back it was Merlin his eyes went wide and so did his...he wiped his mouth spitting on the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL are you doing here?"

Merlin wiped his mouth thank goodness it was only a brief kiss "You pulled me in here and kissed me" he spat on the floor.

"I did not pull _YOU _in I pulled Guinevere" he continued wiping his mouth vowing to wash his mouth out.

"She went back to Gauis...I just passed her" the Prince banged his head against the wall...today was not going well.

Arthur stood up straight a threatening look now crossed his face "IF YOU EVER"

Merlin stopped him his hands up in the air "Believe me I want to forget this" he wiped his mouth again with his sleeve.

The prince pushed him against the wall and stormed out. He would not try that again ever.

It didn't take long for Gwen to notice the difference in her humble house, a bath had magically appeared in the middle of the room. Her initial excitement for such a gift soon faded into something else. He thought her that ugly that she should not bath in public...she always thought the other maids slimmer and prettier than her, but since Arthur and Lancelot paid her attention she thought that maybe she was just as pretty...how wrong could I be! She sobbed until she finally fell asleep.

Things were definitely a little difficult between Merlin and Arthur in the morning. Arthur would barely look at him and Merlin would try to avoid any form of eye contact, both looking like they would throw up when they finally did look at each other.

Before Merlin left "I believe you will find Gwen on her own this morning as Gauis is seeing Lady Mary"

Arthur stood up immediately his eyes sparkling "Thank you" he barged past him and straight down the corridor.

When he walked towards Gauis's quarters he walked passed a limping guard obviously making his way to his Guinevere.

"Where are you going?" the young guard felt nervous around the prince.

"My Lord, I fell I was going to get my wound cleaned up" Arthur looked at the guard a small scrape covered his now exposed knee.

"Well I believe no treatment is needed, this injury will remind you to not be so clumsy" he folded his arms looking very much the Prince.

The guard looked embarrassed and didn't know what to say.

"Well off you go back to your duties" he knew it was cruel, but he had much worse injuries than a graze and he did not always seek treatment.

The guard bowed and hobbled off in the other direction.

As he got closer to Gauis' chambers another man came out "Tell me is the maid Gwen alone?"

The young man looked suspicious.

"I need to talk to her on royal business..now answer the question!" he gave the well trained stare that made a grown man crumble.

"Gwen is alone Sire" he bowed his head and Arthur gestured for him to leave.

He opened the door and found Gwen cleaning at the end of the room, before she had chance to see who it was she was in his arms and his lips were against hers. Her momentary shock turned to passion. He did like her, he wanted her, he loved her.

Her hands went up his neck and into his hair and she pushed him against the wall, he groaned as her tongue duelled with his. They had never kissed so passionately...her hands scraped along his back and his, one laced into her perfect hair and the other held tight around her waist.

They momentarily stopped for air, leaning their heads together and then she bit her lip and that was it. Arthur kissed her again this time pushing her against the table knocking its contents on the floor....neither of them stopping as the pots crashed and banged. He lifted her on the table and leaned down again capturing her lips.

"Gwen....I really don't know what Lady Anne is on about ...I swear she makes it...My Lord"

They jumped apart as Gauis took in the scene ahead...pots and pans everywhere Arthur hair sticking up and Guinevere's lips swollen...oh!

"Gauis" Arthurs voice was high when he spoke.

"My lord" he wanted to turn back and leave having disturbed such a rare and intimate moment.

Arthur looked at the very red Guinevere and decided it best he left.

"Well um thank you Guinevere, I am sure I shall feel much better now" he walked out of the room nodding at Gauis as he left.

As the door shut Gauis looked at Gwen who was biting her lip and started laughing, Gwen soon joined in.

"Sorry Gauis" she apologised.

"No apology but next time, try not to destroy my room in the process" he leant down to pick up a pan and they both laughed again.

Next time she thought as she cleaned up. She closed her eyes and saw him saving her life and sweeping her into his arms 'my hero', she sighed, maybe her fantasies could be reality.


End file.
